South Africa sink as Dunkley delights England
England drew first blood in the best of three series, calmly accounting for the tourists' 111/9.
All the talking points from the first T20I in Chelmsford.
Dunkley delights at the top
Several fans and pundits questioned the omission of Tammy Beaumont from the Commonwealth Games squad, though the concerns were somewhat remedied by the performance of Dunkley in a new role at the top.
Also moved to No.3 in the ODI team, Dunkley looked at home opening the batting, freed up by the fielding restrictions in the Powerplay and helped her side to 50/2 at the end of the six overs.
Dunkley went on to pass the half-century mark, the first for the 24-year-old in the international format. Striking 59 from 39 balls, laced with eight boundaries, Dunkley was brought undone by Anneke Bosch, who found the right-hander's top edge in the 11th over.
Despite the dismissal, Dunkley had done the damage already, as her teammates coasted to victory.
Wolvaardt and Brunt stand out at the County Ground
Key individual performances will likely dictate the Commonwealth Games' medals in Birmingham, and it was fitting that Katherine Brunt and Laura Wolvaardt stood out for their respective sides during South Africa's batting innings.
Brunt was superb with the new ball, taking the wickets of Lara Goodall and Sune Luus before Wolvaardt's entry.
The pair only went head-to-head for one ball in Brunt's first spell - pushed into the leg-side for a single - though the pair would meet again at the innings' end.
Laura Wolvaardt | South Africa's stylish opener | 100% Cricket
Wolvaardt hit Brunt into mid-wicket again for another single, taking the right-hander to fifty, though Brunt would eventually claim her opponent in the last over as her fourth wicket, with the Proteas aiming to eke out every last possible run.
Wolvaardt finished with 55 (49) with seven fours, as Brunt ended the day with 4/15.
South Africa squad ravaged ahead of Birmingham 2022
After missing the first T20I, Marizanne Kapp and Tumi Sekhukhune have returned to South Africa, missing the remainder of the series and doubtful for the Games, which begin on July 29.
Sekhukhune re-injured her groin earlier on tour and will recuperate at home, while Kapp returns to Gqeberha to attend a family matter.
Kapp's wife and Proteas teammate Dane van Niekerk confirmed via social media that their brother-in-law had been involved in an accident that had left him in intensive care.
It means South Africa's hopes of a Commonwealth Games medal hang on a knife-edge, having already lost Lizelle Lee (retired from international cricket) and van Niekerk, who is still nursing an ankle injury that side-lined her before the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup earlier in the year.
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